#whatsCTpulling : OMG Seasonal Blend from AKA Coffee
As discussed last week, AKA's offerings seem to be roasted a bit darker than you might expect for a hip third wave Bay Area roaster, and that's not a bad thing at all in the age of some polarizing, unbalanced coffees. The more dynamic and lively of the their two blends, OMG is seasonal with this bag comprised of 25% Yukro Ethiopia, 25% Moplaco, Ethiopia, and 50% La Bella, Guatemala.
This coffee is pretty forgiving of most brew methods including aeropress and pourover, with the common theme of brewing/pulling cooler and faster to keep the berries and citrus alive. A roasty cocoa or Baker's Chocolate is the predominant note in this coffee, that leans more towards versatile, balanced blend, than light and bright. In the Aeropress, I used cooler water (175* estimated) and 1:15 total brew times.
OMG is a nice versatile blend that can be had straight or hold up in large milk drinks. As straight espresso, I preferred to let it cool and get some berries and chocolate in a lingering finish. With milk, it builds on this with more chocolate, a hint of berry fruitiness, and a smooth creamy body. Using an 18 gram VST basket, I pulled shots at 18 grams in to 36 grams out in 25 seconds at 197*F.
I pulled shots as high as 40 grams out and as low as 32 grams yield, but found a 1:2 ratio to be a nice balance. On the shorter side, the coffee leaned a bit more Norther Italian, strong and rich, but with a bit more sweetness. And on the longer side the coffee was definitely smoothed out, but didn't finish as nicely.
OMG is available for $17 for a 12 ounce bag, with all orders over $25 shipping free.